Natasha Lomas
Writer
The Latest from Natasha Lomas
Hypotenuse AI wants to take the strain out of copywriting for e-commerce
Imagine buying a dress online because a piece of code sold you on its ‘flattering, feminine flair’ — or convinced you ‘romantic floral details’ would outline your figure
Facebook extends coronavirus work from home policy until July 2021
Facebook has joined Google in saying it will allow employees to work from home until the middle of next year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. “Based on guidance from health and governmen
UK reported to be ditching coronavirus contacts tracing in favor of ‘risk rating’ app
What’s going on with the U.K.’s coronavirus contacts-tracing app? Reports in the national press today suggest a launch of the much-delayed software will happen this month but also that the
TikTok announces first data center in Europe
TikTok, the Chinese video sharing app that’s found itself at the center of a geopolitical power struggle which threatens to put hard limits on its global growth this year, said today it will bui
Uber picks up Autocab to push into places its own app doesn’t go
Uber has bought U.K.-based Autocab, which sells SaaS to the taxi and private hire vehicle industry, with the aim of expanding the utility of its own platform by linking users who open its app in place
Google-Fitbit deal to be scrutinized in Europe over data competition concerns
In a set-back for Google’s plan to acquire health wearable company Fitbit, the European Commission has announced it’s opening an investigation to dig into a range of competition concerns b
Amazon’s 16% bite of Deliveroo finally clears UK competition probe
It’s official: Days after Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was peppered with awkward questions by U.S. lawmakers concerned about the market power of his e-commerce empire, the U.K.’s competition regu
UK commits to redesign visa streaming algorithm after challenge to ‘racist’ tool
The U.K. government is suspending the use of an algorithm used to stream visa applications after concerns were raised the technology bakes in unconscious bias and racism. The tool had been the target
Twitter warns investors of possible fine from FTC consent order probe
Twitter has disclosed it’s facing a potential fine of more than a hundred million dollars as a result of a probe by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which believes the company violated a 2011
Facebook fights order to globally block accounts linked to Brazilian election meddling
Facebook has branded a legal order to globally block a number of Brazilian accounts linked to the spread of political disinformation targeting the country’s 2018 election as “extreme,̶
Australia now has a template for forcing Facebook and Google to pay for news
Australia is closing in on a legally binding framework to force adtech giants Facebook and Google pay media companies for monetizing their news content when it’s posted to their social media pla
Twitter finally bans former KKK leader, David Duke
Twitter has confirmed it has permanently banned the account of David Duke, former leader of white supremacist hate group the Ku Klux Klan. Duke had operated freely on its platform for years — am
Twitter says ‘phone spear phishing attack’ used to gain network access in crypto scam breach
Twitter has revealed a little more detail about the security breach it suffered earlier this month when a number of high-profile accounts were hacked to spread a cryptocurrency scam — writing in
Telegram hits out at Apple’s App Store ‘tax’ in latest EU antitrust complaint
Apple has another antitrust charge on its plate. Messaging app Telegram has joined Spotify in filing a formal complaint against the iOS App Store in Europe — adding its voice to a growing number
Google’s ‘no choice’ screen on Android isn’t working, says Ecosia — querying the EU’s approach to antitrust enforcement
Google alternative Ecosia is on a mission to turn search clicks into trees. The Berlin-based not-for-profit reached a major milestone earlier this month, having used ad revenue generated by users of i
Google’s Sundar Pichai grilled over ‘destroying anonymity on the internet’
Google’s Sundar Pichai faced an awkward line of enquiry during today’s House Antitrust Subcommittee hearing related to its 2007 acquisition of adtech platform DoubleClick, and how it went
Traveloka tops up with $250M amid the coronavirus crisis
Indonesia-based online travel portal, Traveloka, has picked up $250M in fresh funding to beef up its coronavirus-battered balance sheet. The travel aggregator dubs the capital injection a “stron
Twitter restricts Donald Trump Jr.’s account for sharing COVID-19 misinformation
Twitter has temporarily frozen Donald Trump Jr.’s account after the president’s son shared a video making false and potentially life-threatening claims about the coronavirus pandemic. The
Advertima rings up $17.5M for computer vision-powered behavioral analytics for in-store retail
Swiss computer vision startup Advertima has raised a €15 million Series A (~$17.5 million) to build out a machine learning platform for physical retail stores to ‘upgrade’ the shopping e
As remote work booms, Everphone grabs ~$40M for its ‘device as a service’ offer
The latest startup to see an uplift in inbound interest flowing from the remote work boom triggered by the coronavirus pandemic is Berlin-based Everphone, which sells a “mobile as a service̶